Scholarships and Awards
Family and Consumer Sciences offers scholarships to current students and students entering the department as freshmen or transfer students. The application serves for all departmental awards and only one application per student is needed to apply for all departmental scholarships. Applicants will be considered for all scholarships for which they are deemed eligible. Normally, recipients are limited to one scholarship award per year.
The 2024-2025 Scholarship Applications are below.
How to Apply
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Current Students
Recipients must be full-time students with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences. Recipients must have an established Illinois State grade point average. Applications are open November 1 and will close January 31.
Apply now for a current student scholarship -
Freshman Students
Recipients must be entering as a full-time freshman student with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences. Applications are open November 1 and will close April 15.
Apply now for a freshman student scholarship -
Transfer Students
Recipients must be full-time transfer students with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences. Applications are open November 1 and will close April 15.
Apply now for a transfer student scholarship
Student Scholarships
Current Student Scholarships
- Barbara M. Clauser Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Graduate or undergraduate student with at least sophomore standing (no less than 30 credit hours completed at the time of application)
- Declared major (or applied to major) in FCS
- Be a full-time student
- Have at least a 3.0 GPA overall
- Financial need will be taken into consideration
- Charlotte E. Talkington Scholarship
Criteria required:
- At least 60 credit hours completed
- Declared FCS Teacher Education major
- Demonstrated community service and/or leadership qualities and experience
- Dora L. Munson Scholarship
Criteria required:
- GPA of at least 2.5
- Declared FCS major with sophomore, junior or senior standing in the fall semester
- Must show promise and commitment to pursuing careers in education either in a traditional school setting or in a non-school learning setting
- The potential to make a positive influence on society
- Possess strong principles and be of high character
- Demonstrate financial need
- Educational Opportunity Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Be currently enrolled as an FCS major
- Graduate or undergraduate student with at least sophomore standing (no less than 30 credit hours)
- Be in good academic standing
- Secure recommendations from two FCS faculty members
- Hattie Lundgren Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Graduate or undergraduate student majoring in FCS
- Be actively involved in community volunteer activities
- Jesse Rambo and Florence Runyon Scholarship
Criteria required:
- FCS major with senior standing by fall semester and have at least 3.0 overall GPA
- Must demonstrate financial need
- Evidence of campus activities and leadership
- Demonstrate potential for professional success
- John A., Mabel E. and Jacqueline Q. Karch Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Student in Family and Consumer Sciences. Preference given to FCS Teacher Education and Food, Nutrition, and Dietetics majors
- Preference given to sophomore, junior, or senior standing
- Demonstrated academic achievement by having at least a cumulative grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale
- Be of good character and have two references from faculty members
- Karen S. Morton Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Have at least 60 hours completed at the time of application
- Declared FCS major in Human Development and Family Science with a minimum 2.5 GPA overall
- Financial need may be taken into consideration
- Lois R. Jett Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Upcoming senior in good standing at ISU
- Major in Fashion Design and Merchandising
- Maintain an overall 3.7 GPA
- Use scholarship for educational/housing expenses
- Demonstrate involvement in extracurricular activities, civic organizations, and/or community service
- Preference is given to students with strong interest and expertise in one or more of the following:
- Fashion history and garment conservation
- Garment construction and tailoring
- Apparel design through flat pattern and draping
- Mae Warren Feeney Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Must be an FCS major
- Sophomore, junior, or senior standing (at least 30 credits at Illinois State) fall semester
- Maintain at least a 2.0 overall GPA
- Demonstrate financial need
- Margret Ann Hayden Endowed Scholarship in Fashion Design
Criteria required:
- Must be enrolled in good standing at Illinois State University
- Demonstrate academic achievement, as evidenced by a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, or as a transfer student a comparable GPA at their previous institution
- Must have completed at least 30 college credit hours with sophomore status and majoring in Fashion Design and Merchandising
- Mary Scheeler Crane Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Be a student in good standing at Illinois State and maintain at least a 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Major in an area of specialization in FCS
- Use the scholarship for educational and/or housing expenses
- Riggs Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Student must be at a grade level of: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior
- Student must be majoring in Fashion Design and Merchandising
- Sharon and Parker Lawlis Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Be an undergraduate student in good standing and have completed at least 60 credit hours, having a GPA of at least 3.0
- Major in teacher education in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences, if no applicants meet these criteria, other students majoring in FCS will be considered
- Demonstrate financial need
- Sommer Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Undergraduate FCS Major with a 2.75 minimum GPA
- Involvement in school and/or community activities
- Financial need will be taken into consideration
- Susan R. Hoblit Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Major in (or have applied to major in) FCS with an emphasis in Interior Design
- Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (if currently an Illinois State student)
- Demonstrate financial need
- Tricia Widner Johnson Memorial Scholarshipp
Criteria required:
- Applicants should be a declared major in the Fashion Design and Merchandising program
- Demonstrate passion, contribution, commitment, and/or leadership within the Fashion Design and Merchandising program, FDMA, FDMA Fashion Show, the Lois Jett Historic Costume Collection or the apparel industry
- Have an overall GPA of 3.0
Freshman Scholarships
- My Mentors Scholarship
Each candidate for My Mentors Scholarship must be or have:
- Accepted for enrollment at Illinois State University.
- An incoming freshman with a declared major in Family and Consumer Sciences and must remain in that major for the duration of the scholarship.
- Demonstrated financial need.
- Demonstrated community service and/or leadership qualities while in high school.
- Preference will be given to a student who is a member of Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).
Additional qualifications:
- One new freshman recipient, with a declared FCS major, will be selected each year.
- To be considered for any scholarship that lists financial need as a selection criterion, applicants must have a current FAFSA filed with the Financial Aid Office and must sign the financial release form included in the scholarship application packet.
- Scholarship awards are applied directly to the recipient’s Student Account for the fall 2019 semester after the fall 2019 Census Day.
- FCS Recruitment and Retention Scholarship
Each candidate for the Family and Consumer Sciences Recruitment and Retention Endowed Scholarship must be or have:
- Accepted for enrollment at Illinois State University.
- An incoming freshman majoring in one of the programs in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Illinois State University with preference given to a Teacher Education major. This scholarship is renewable for a maximum of an additional three years as long as the student continues to meet the required qualifications.
- Demonstrated academic achievement as evidenced by a comparable cumulative high school GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for incoming freshmen. This cumulative GPA must be maintained all of the subsequent years to continue to qualify for renewal of this scholarship for a maximum of three additional years.
- Demonstrated financial need.
- Demonstrated high school involvement in leadership activities, community service, and/or achieved awards and honors.
Additional qualifications:
- One new freshman recipient, with a declared FCS major, will be selected each year.
- Recipients must remain a declared major in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in order to continue receiving the scholarship. If the recipient changes her/his major, s/he will forfeit the scholarship.
- To be considered for any scholarship that lists financial need as a selection criterion, applicants must have a current FAFSA filed with the Financial Aid Office and must sign the financial release form included in the scholarship application packet.
- Scholarship awards are applied directly to the recipient’s Student Account for the fall 2019 semester after the fall 2019 Census Day.
- Riggs Scholarship
Each candidate for the Riggs Scholarship must be or have:
- Student must be at a grade level of: Freshman, Sophomore, Junior or Senior
- Student must be majoring in Fashion Design and Merchandising
- Susan R. Hoblit Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Be a student in good standing at Illinois State and maintain at least a 2.8 GPA on a 4.0 scale
- Major in an area of specialization in FCS
- Use the scholarship for educational and/or housing expenses
- Mary Scheeler Crane Scholarship
Criteria required:
- Major in (or have applied to major in) FCS with an emphasis in Interior Design
- Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0 (if currently an Illinois State student)
- Demonstrate financial need
Transfer Scholarships
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FCS Transfer Scholarship
Students must have at least 30 semester hours completed from another institution and be transferring as a full-time students with a major in the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences at Illinois State University.
FCS Department Awards
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Student Ambassador Award
As a junior or senior student ambassador who has completed all requirements, we invite you to apply for the FCS Student Ambassador Award. Please click here to submit an application which includes uploading your resume. The application deadline is February 15th. The FCS Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the applicants and select the recipients. The award recipient will be announced at our FCS Awards Ceremony.
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Student Teaching Award
I encourage each of you to apply for the FCS Student Teaching Award. Please click here to submit an application that provides information on your participation in campus activities associated with the university, demonstrated leadership, and/or volunteerism in community activities with another nonprofit organization or civic engagement. You will also be asked to submit your resume. The application deadline is February 15th. The FCS Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the applicants and select the recipients. The award recipient will be announced at our FCS Awards Ceremony. Applications are open November 1 and will close February 15, 2023.
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DEBI Award
The Department of Family and Consumer Sciences is committed to an environment of Diversity, Equity, Belongingness, and Inclusiveness (DEBI). Please click here to submit a nomination (self-nominations are welcome) for a student that you believe demonstrates outstanding effort and initiative towards diversity, equity, belonging, and inclusion in FCS by January 31st. We will reach out to those nominated to provide additional information by February 15th. The FCS Scholarship and Awards Committee will review the applicants and select the recipients. Both award recipients will be announced at our FCS Awards Ceremony.